Suns' title hopes revolve around Amare's progress

He was playing below the rim, without lift, without a smile. But emphasizing those details is like complaining about the taxes on a winning lottery ticket. Amare Stoudemire's opening line Thursday: 20 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks in 19 minutes.

"Well, Amare Stoudemire's back,'' he said, with ice bags wrapped around both knees after the Suns' 125-108 victory over the visiting Trail Blazers. "I just came out playing my style of basketball.''

Stoudemire had been the league's most valuable absentee since undergoing microfracture surgery on his left knee in October. Instead of relieving the pressures on him to return, the success of the Pacific-leading Suns without him (45-21) served to create more pressure for him to contribute this season. If they were the No. 2 seed in the West without the league's most explosive big man, couldn't they vault to No. 1 in the playoffs with him?

It's now obvious that the 23-year-old Stoudemire bought into that particular theory, ignoring arguments that he dare not risk his career by hurrying back this season. A week ago his right knee was swelling -- a result of overcompensating for his weaker left leg -- launching him into a foul mood at the idea that he may not be able to return. But a strong week of practice followed. His knees cooperated.

"The past five days was great progress,'' Stoudemire said. "From yesterday to today I felt better.''

On Wednesday he approached coach Mike D'Antoni and said, "I want to play.''

"Guess what?'' answered D'Antoni. "You're playing.''

Ahab he was not. Himself he was not. Stoudemire spent the first five minutes on the court looking for things to do, trying to predict where he was supposed to be in the offense like an after-school student straining to remember the new dance steps he had been practicing. In the pregame introductions and during dead-ball situations he was pacing back and forth, his head down, nervous and uncomfortable. He wore a shaggy goatee that made him appear older and sleepier than usual.

He won the opening tip -- barely -- against Portland's 7-foot-1 Joel Przybilla. On the second possession he flashed to the top of the key and softly threw in a jumper off his back foot. He looked genuinely surprised that it went in, that he had scored so easily.

Stoudemire would go 7 of 14 from the floor, numbers that were enhanced by playing against one of the NBA's most porous defenses. Opportunities around the basket that he used to dunk so loudly and violently were converted off the glass as layups, which is how it should be. He was like a fastball pitcher making his opening start in spring training.